As the Season Shifts - Scott Thomas Outlar

I’m
sitting here in the woods of my favorite park where I venture regularly to
meditate, clear the mind, and hammer out poetry (along with an occasional essay
such as this). It’s late afternoon on September 22, 2017. The first day of
Autumn. A time to reflect on the shifting seasons, cleanse away the sweat from
summer’s swelter, and focus on the coming vibrant hues of color that will soon
be bursting upon the leaves of trees. Then, of course, they will fall from
their branches to be devoured once more by the soil that will use the nutrients
to feed root systems and start the whole process over again. There is a perfect
balance to nature’s rhythms. As humans, it is a sacred responsibility to align
our psyches with that same sort of energetic equilibrium. Thus speaks the fall
equinox.

I
want to thank Sunil Sharma, Anurag Sharma, and everyone involved with Setu
Magazine for allowing me the opportunity to launch this new column in which
I’ll be highlighting different poets, artists, books, events, and moments that
catch my eye during each month. Setu is unique to the independent press in its
bilingual approach, offering separate content of Hindi and English material in
each issue. This format serves as a bridge that connects east to west in the
best possible manner: through art and creative expression.

There
have recently been areas of India affected by heavy flooding, just as there
have been in parts of the United States. Earthquakes, forest fires, and
hurricanes have been steadily streamed on news broadcasts seemingly around the
clock of late. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have suffered
loss during these powerful disasters. Also, as always, there is war raging in
hotspots around the world. New nuclear threats raise their ominous heads more
and more of late. We are bombarded with such chaos and madness. That is why
magazines such as Setu are so important. It is the role of the poet, the
writer, the artist, the shaman, the guru, the prophet, the musician, the
photographer, the painter, the farmer, the gardener, the healer, and all those
who represent peace, love, and goodwill to act as a counterbalance of positive
affirmation in times such as these. So it will be my honor to try and shine
light on such voices in the months ahead.

I
will focus the lens this time around on a publisher that burst onto the scene
earlier in 2017 and has already released several excellent books by
contemporary poets whose work I greatly admire. Alien Buddha Press is run by
Red Focks and Jay Miner; both are poets and photographers in their own right.
They published my most recent book, Poison
in Paradise, back in June of this year. But I simply refuse to shamelessly
turn this into a personal plug! Moving along. ABP has also published
collections by Heath Brougher, Sudeep Adhikari, Dustin Pickering, Adam Levon
Brown, Ryan Quinn Flanagan, Paul Brookes, Felino A. Soriano, Ammi Romero, Robin
Wyatt Dunn, Mark Hartenbach, Jonel Abellanosa, and many other fine poets. Now,
in the first volume of the Alien Buddha Press anthology, excerpts from all these
writers have been compiled to create a sampling of what ABP has to showcase.
Copies are available at the following links…

OK.
This one is in the bag. I hope to contribute many more articles for Setu as
time flies by. 2018 will be here before we know it. In the meantime, please
enjoy all this new autumn season has to provide. May its days instill within
you a sense of abiding peace along with a renewed vigor of inspired passion. Be
well, my friends. Selah

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